General Well-Being
Week three after gastric bypass has been fairly calm. I’m slowly adjusting to solid food again and enjoying the fact that the purée stage is finally behind me. My teeth are happy too, after all, they were made for chewing, so it’s nice to put them back to work.
The scale hasn’t budged, which I know is completely normal. I’ve read plenty about the dreaded “week-three stall” (and, well, throw in my period too). Still, it’s tough mentally. The logical part of me says: “You’re eating tiny portions, so the weight should be going down, right?” But as long as it’s not going up (though I know some fluctuation is normal), I remind myself that everything is fine.
Problems
My biggest ongoing issue is, let’s say… plumbing. Sensitive readers may want to skip this bit. During the week, I only managed three bathroom trips, two with the help of Microlax. The one time I went on my own was long, painful, and involved far too much straining (yes, even tears).
The aftermath? A sore behind the next day. And honestly, Microlax isn’t exactly a pleasant solution either, it feels unnatural and uncomfortable. I’ll probably look into other options soon because I know relying on it long-term isn’t recommended.
Solid food itself is great, though I’m still cautious. Tiny bites, chew well, pause, repeat. One night, I miscalculated and ate maybe half a bite too much. Didn’t notice right away, but suddenly I had sharp chest pain and an odd throbbing near my left shoulder.
I wondered if this was the infamous dumping syndrome. I tried pacing around the house, then outside, but it only got worse. Saliva overload kicked in and, well… the walk ended with me throwing up. The good news: I felt much better afterwards. Likely just a few grams too much food, I’m still learning my limits.
But of course, the next day I felt wiped out. Vomiting + extended bathroom sessions = not exactly energy-boosting. But hey, lesson learned: eat even more slowly.
On the bright side, water is still easy for me to drink. I’m genuinely happy about that because I’ve read many people struggle to get enough fluids in.
I do feel a little guilty about not moving more. I average around 7,000 steps a day, which feels low. But honestly, I don’t have much strength yet. Yes, I’ve got more energy than in week one, and my incisions barely bother me now, but overall, I’m still weak. Since the clinic said I don’t need to push myself, I’m letting my body recover at its own pace and trying to be kinder to myself about it.
Menu Example: Week 3
Here’s one day from this week’s menu:
Meal I: 2 crispbreads with cream cheese, chicken ham, and peeled cucumber (47 g)
Meal II: Meatball made from chicken mince, mashed potatoes, and boiled peas (51 g)
Meal III: Kidney bean and ham salad (88 g)
Meal IV: Oven-baked salmon, vegetables, and a little rice (74 g)
Meal V: Kidney bean and ham salad (67 g)
That’s pretty much how week three went: a bit of progress, a few setbacks, and lots of learning to slow down and listen to my body.
How’s your recovery going? Have you noticed the week-three weight stall? And when did you feel ready to ease back into work or daily routines?
